A variety of reachers or reaching devices or apparatuses (also referred to as grabbers or grabbing devices) are commercially available. Such devices are available in various shapes, sizes, and colors and are most often produced using plastic and/or aluminum components. Reachers can be used to assist in grasping both large and small items. Most often, reachers have a jaw, claw, finger, or other grasping member at one end of a shaft that can manually rotate, along with a handle at the opposing end of a shaft. The reachers are employed by a user squeezing the trigger on the handle, which activates the jaw to close around the desired item in need of reaching. Some reachers employ a locking mechanism to keep the jaw (or other opening) shut once an item has been grasped and is held in the jaw. At this time, a user sets the reacher down and releases the item from the jaw.
Several disadvantages exist with commercially available reachers. For example, the jaws (or other opening) on these reachers lack the ability to pick up both large and small items with confidence and consistency. Similarly, the jaws (or other opening) often are unable to pick up items having smooth surfaces as a result of being unable to grasp or make sufficient contact with the item.
In addition to the design deficiencies of various commercially available reachers, many users, including for example, the handicapped and/or elderly, are unable to operate the devices due to the use of a vertical grip and/or triggers, which can cause pain in the user's fingers, wrists, arms, back and/or neck. In particular, users having limited mobility find significant difficulty in operating the reachers using vertical grips. Additional difficulty is presented for users wherein a reacher employs a locking mechanism that requires further fine motor use. Exemplary commercially available reachers presenting such difficulties for users are more fully described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,711,482, 6,848,731, 7,665,782 and 8,029,035, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved reacher or grasping member that can grasp and hold a variety of objects, and that can be operated using gross motor skills, as opposed to fine motor skills. There is also a need in the art for a reacher that can be rotated and locked in an easier manner.